Moist Yellow Cake

This is a great, moist yellow cake recipe from scratch that you will use over and over again... it is soft and moist and melts in your mouth. I've made this recipe hundreds of times and everyone always goes crazy over it. 

The frosting has just the right consistency for decorating. Both kids and adults love it, unlike a traditional buttercream which appeals more to adults and can sometimes taste like you're eating a stick of butter.

My daughter's favorite variation is strawberry: Add about 8 medium finely chopped strawberries to the batter and strawberry juice to the frosting for subtle favor and a pale pink color. I use about an 1/8th of a cup of strawberry juice. Deduct the amount of juice you use from the 1/2 cup of milk in the frosting recipe.

For cupcakes: fill cups 3/4 of the way and bake 25 minutes

Moist Yellow Cake

3 cups cake flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup (two sticks) unsalted butter, cut into cubes and brought to room temperature 

2 cups granulated sugar

5 large eggs

1 cup buttermilk

1/4 cup whole milk

2 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and line two, 8" pans with parchment rounds.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.

On medium speed in a mixer, mix butter until light colored and fluffy (this step is crucial to having a delicate, light crumb!). Slowly pour sugar in a steady stream until combined and fluffy.

Add vanilla to the eggs and on low speed, add one egg at a time, scraping the bowl in between with a spatula.

Combine whole milk with buttermilk.

Alternating, add a third of the flour and mix in, then a third of the buttermilk. Keep repeating and finish with the buttermilk. Remove bowl and mix by hand briefly with a spatula scraping sides and mixing thoroughly. 

Divide batter between pans and bake for about 40 minutes. Check for doneness with a toothpick.

Creamy White Frosting

Wait until the cake is completely cool before icing. Add all ingredients to a mixer bowl. Start the mixer on the lowest speed, then work up to medium-high to avoid a cloud of confectioners sugar! Mix until light and fluffy.

1 cup softened butter

2 lb. bag of confectioners sugar

1/2 cup whole milk

2 teaspoons vanilla

Pinch of salt